A Px.>ru- $ Y. MISSIONARY SERMON, DELIVERED AT HARTFORD, ON THE EVENING OF MAY 14, 1811. WILLIAM LYMAN, D.D. OF EAST HADDAM. HARTFORD : PETER B. GLEASON AND CO. PRINTERS. • If • . .... . I .. J a.e: f » : *m* * V .» :\ • t i ' A MISSIONARY SERMON PSALM LXXIV. 20. Have respect unto the covenant : for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. W ere tlie argument, here expressed and urged, lightly under- stood and suitably felt, all Ziou would unite in the prayer with which this passage commences. And permit me to remark, that there is not a child of God upon earth, who does not, in some measure, realize, in his own experience, the spirit which dictated these words of the Psalmist. The pious Asaph had beheld, with emotions not easily described or uttered, the distresses which had prevailed among the people of God, and the desolation to which his sanctuary had long been subjected. The ravages of God’s enemies had spread consternation and woe all around ; the people of the Lord were dispersed ; their places of public worship de- stroyed, and their religious establishments deranged. Nothing was present to their view but the prospect of increasing calamity, and they had no hope but from the mercy and faithfulness of that God whom they had often provoked, and whose goodness they had long abused. Their enemies had not only “ burnt up all the “ synagogues of God in the land,” but they were meditating an entire overthrow of the people who had occupied them for reli- gious purposes. “ They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them “ together.” And the Psalmist further observes : “ The tumult “ of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.” Un- der these circumstances we readily perceive that the church or the people of God were not only in a perilous, but in a depressed and suffering state. 4 MISSIONARY SERMON. * The holy penman of this Psalm, deeply interested by what he had seen and felt, betakes himself to that first of all duties which good people should scrupulously perform at all times, and espe- cially in a day of adversity. He was an earnest pleader with God iu behalf of an oppressed and overwhelmed people. The favor he requests is apposite to the case he has in view ; and the argument he uses exactly suited to excite commiseration and pro- cure relief. — In the text and context he states and urges the mat- ter in a most pathetic and importunate manner. His address to God, through the whole, is sublime, appropriate and forcible ; but in no part do the energies of his soul rise to an higher pitch, or flow forth in a more majestic style, than in that comprehensive petition which forms the basis of our present meditations. Here is introduced an argument addressed to the feeling and sense of propriety which are supposed to exist in the Being to w hom ap- plication is made. It is reminding him of his own declarations and engagements ; from which a confidence is gathered that he will not deviate so as to manifest either forgetfulness, disregard or unfaithfulness. W ith the boldness therefore of an earnest inter- cessor, the Psalmist moves God to “ have respect unto the covc- “ nant then he enforces his plea with an argument addressed to the mercy or compassion of God : “ for, says he, the dark “ places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.” This plea and this argumeut are not without their appropriate signi- ficancy and pertinency at the present day. Brethren of our com- mon Lord, my design is to engage you all in the prayer which opens and constitutes the theme of the present discourse. We are assembled this evening before God to contemplate the condi- tion of those destitute of the privileges in w hich we all rejoice, and by which we are distinguished above most of our brethren of the human race ; and also to consider what duties we owe to the God of our salvation, a6 it respects the diffusion among others of that light w ith which we are surrounded, and those blessings with which we are replenished. Can there be an indifferent attendant in the house of God, who regards, with no sensible emotion, the object which our meeting together professedly embraces P If such an one hath passed over the threshold of the sanctuary, and is now within these sacred walls, the Lord have mercy to open his eyes and penetrate his heart, before he leaves his seat, that he SESSIONARY SERMON. may not be alone, and feel no interest in that prayer which is to warm the hearts and enliven the desires of all present w ho love these abodes of Zion. May God preside, and by his Holy Spirit operate in directing every eye, and lifting up every soul to himself. I shall, I. Speak of the covenant which God hath seen fit to establish. II. Consider what is comprehended in his having respect to this covenaut. III. I shall lead you to contemplate the argument by which his respect to this covenant is urged. IV. I shall apply the subject. That we may proceed in an orderly and intelligible manner, we are, I. To take into view that covenant which God hath seen fit to establish. It may be observed, that the phrase here used is in a definite form : “ Have respect to the covenant,” as if it was but one, and was understood as having reference to a particular object. I sup- pose, however, it may be considered as having a general meaning, and pointing, in one comprehensive view, to all those communica- tions which God hath been pleased to make unto men relative to his designs of mercy towards our apostate and fallen race. If the expression must be considered as limited in its signifi- cation, I shall strenuously contend that it means the covenant of redemption, that covenant of the Most High, avith his Son, in which he promises to give him the heathen for his inheritance an f [ the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession. In the benefits of this covenant, all the children of God have a most liberal share ; and in it arc contained all the promises of good which God hath made to his people, both in reference to their own personal security and happiness, and also in relation to that display of his mercy which he will make to the world of mankind in sending the gospel to the remotest ends of the earth, and in causing it to triumph in the conversion and salvation of souls, and in the enlargement and purification of the church. The promises are numerous, particu- 6 MISSIONARY SERMON. lar and animating in regard to the prosperity of Zion. Tile time is coming when religion shall more generally and gloriously prevail — when irreligion, idolatry and wickedness, shall be done away, and when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas. Such a time is described and predicted in the word of God. Nor are these predictions in a blind and unintelligible form ; but they are delivered in language plain, and the import of which cannot easily be mistaken. They are communicated by various writers, at different times, and in a variety of language. They are repeated time after time, and made familiar to the weakest un- derstanding in those who are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and who have their senses exercised to discern spiritual things in a spiritual manner. To rehearse them w ould be to exhibit before you a considerable proportion of the prophetic writings. And after all, they would serve only to establish one idea w hich is suf- ficiently confirmed by the uniform tenor of Scripture, that God hath promised to protect and enlarge his church — to increase the number of converts, and raise them to an high degree of purity and felicity. Perhaps it may be sufficient to remark, that the prophet Isaiah, in an early part of his prophecy, expressly declares in refer- ence to these times, Isa. ii. 2. “ And it shall come to pass in the “ last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be estab- “ lished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above “ the hills; and all nations shall flow uuto it.” — In a similar strain the prophet Ilabakkuk hath also declared, “ For the earth shall “ be filled with the know ledge of the glory of the Lord, as the “ waters cover the sea.” — That remarkable passage in Zechariah, which breathes the same spirit, and corroborates the same idea, Reserves to be mentioned, “ In that day shall there be upon the bells X£ of the horses, Holiness to the: Lord.” — The best commentators have ever understood this as referring to a very flourishing stale of religion in the world, when all the implements in use for labor or convenience among men, shall be devoted to God, and employ- ed in his service. An attentive reader of divine revelation must know that a multitude of passages, w hich harmonize in sentiment, and proclaim the same glorious truth, might easily be collected. Permit me only to subjoin those comforting words of the Saviour, Matt. xvi. 18. “ And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter » MISSIONARY SERMON. r “ an V', v ; • • y .iii •* ; ua a* »• ” '«'•* 3 "*•' • '* •. I •?>' ‘ ,«»,:«> f " ? *•'*' : l-.rV !*&;<*•>/.* 4. J «v.sr*»S >*» . t'M v fv»>^ • .*• r : • e ~ I } .iv. • ^ s< * j % .• -'s ;.i > *' -••• > •. •*•«• • .: - :i , T: -te >.«»*.*«“ !»,’ « : * . . . ' 1 v*"-i v • • • i V) - ifrt